Tuesday Tracks: Your Weekly New Music Discovery – Sept. 29
Every week, there’s a plethora of new music at our fingertips.
Artists on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but who has time to sort through all that? RIFF does!
We pooled our resources to find some of the best new singles from all genres and backgrounds, so you can find your newest earworm without all the drama. Enjoy this week’s hidden gems.
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Andrekza, “TÉ” — Andrekza is absolutely serving with “TÉ.” On her first single ever, the Venezuelan artist creates a fiery brew of pop and Latin R&B—all inspired by the healing powers of tea. The contrast of her bouncy vocal rhythm and the arrangement’s deeper tones give the single undeniable personality, allowing Andrekza to debut her eclectic style the way it deserves. She’s also behind the dreamy, neon-lit music video, too. It’s a sweet cherry on top of her already stellar introduction. As the “First Lady” of Steve Aoki’s Latin music label, Dim Mak En Fuego, Andrekza is definitely set to rule.
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Gwen Bunn featuring Faith Evans, “Between The Lines” — You can feel Gwenn Bunn singing from her soul on “Between The Lines.” Her vocals swell like a heavy heart as she longs for someone she knows she’s ultimately better off without. “I need you now,” she sings, later calling out, “Now it’s too late to turn around.” Then comes the feature from R&B icon Faith Evans, who sears through the verse with intense emotion. Bunn’s and Evans’ vocal styles blend together poignantly, allowing the track to get that sentimental mood just right.
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Jessie Wagner, “What You Get Is What You See” — As Army of the Underdog frontwoman Jessie Wagner gears up to drop her debut solo album, she’s released “What You Get Is What You See,” the record’s third single. On this track, she makes amends with utmost grace. The song soaks in a bright, tinny melody as Wagner devotes each verse to a different loved one in her life. She owns up about mistakes she’s made, shows a lot of love and makes it known that personal growth is a lifelong journey. Backed by harmonious chants, Wagner’s words remain sincere and uplifting. The animated video goes along with the narrative and remains just as endearing.
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Mae Muller, “so annoying” — Ever find yourself catching feelings and immediately countering them with a “no thank you?” If so, Mae Muller’s “so annoying” will likely speak to your inner being. Between feeling lovestruck and lovesick, the London singer-songwriter brings out the mild inconveniences of love (and all the emotional effort that comes with it). Muller’s natural moxie shines in even her most vulnerable lyrics, attesting to her fierce pop artistry. She puts a tender twist on the new acoustic rendition of “so annoying.” Her soulful vocals and the flamenco flair of her guitar performance flourish more than ever.
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Rituals of Mine, “Trauma” — With freshly released album Hype Nostalgia, Rituals of Mine have dropped a video for “Trauma.” The chilling single melds warped beats with the hypnotizing vocals of electronic singer-songwriter Terra Lopez. Shadowy visuals tinted with murky blue-green tones impeccably round off the song’s atmosphere. “Trauma” presents its namesake for what it is: daunting. But it also looks trauma in the eye and fights against it. “Trauma could never figure me out/ Maybe it’s in my blood, maybe it’s yours now,” Lopez sings about intergenerational trauma and the continuous battle of not letting it dominate her life.
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Young Summer, “If The World Falls To Pieces” — While R.E.M. embraces the end of the world and Elvis Costello waits on it, Bobbie Allen of Young Summer responds with reflection. The Nashville singer-songwriter lays out an elegant piano ballad about the world ablaze, but also takes a moment to appreciate the good that still exists. Allen’s warm vocals, coupled with the soft piano notes, create a romantic atmosphere—though she doesn’t romanticize the situation at hand. Allen’s message has a comforting effect, like a loving “thank you” to the things on this planet that have carried us through dark times.
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Chloe’s Pick: “Trauma” by Rituals of Mine has a unique sound, and it’s amplified so well by the video. I liked it right away, but I especially appreciate how it addresses trauma. This song provides an honest portrayal of how dark one’s headspace can get, but also circles back to a call to persevere. For those the song may resonate with, the latter is especially key. As Terra Lopez wrote in a news release, “If you know, you know.” (Thank you for this, Terra).
Follow editor Chloe Catajan at Instagram.com/riannachloe.